Method of Producing a Directed Spray

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of utilizing ultrasound to atomize a liquid comprising the steps of inducing ultrasonic vibrations within a solid member, delivering a liquid to be atomized to a surface of said member from which ultrasonic waves radiate from said member (hereafter referred to as a “radiation surface”), and allowing the liquid delivered to said radiation to be atomized and propelled away from said member. Delivering the liquid to be atomized to the radiation surface of the vibrating member may comprise the steps placing the liquid on a side of the vibrating member and allowing the liquid to be carried by the ultrasonic waves traveling through the vibrating member to a radiation surface. Alternatively, delivering the liquid to be atomized to a radiation surface of the vibrating member may comprise the step of passing the liquid through a channel opening within a radiation surface. The resulting spray emitted from the radiation surface may comprise small droplets of the delivered liquid, wherein the droplets are highly uniform in size throughout the resulting spray. The atomized spray produced may be focused by increasing the amplitude of the ultrasonic waves traveling through the vibrating member. Conversely, decreasing the amplitude of the ultrasonic waves traveling through vibrating member may widen the atomized spray produced. The atomized spay may also be focused by the geometric configuration of the radiation surface.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
   
   
       26 : A method of producing an atomized spray comprising the steps of:
 a Generating ultrasonic vibrations having an amplitude within a solid member at or near a resonant frequency of the solid member;   b. Delivering a liquid to be atomized to a side of the solid member;   c. Driving the liquid towards a radiation surface of the solid member using the ultrasonic vibrations; and   d. Allowing the liquid reaching the radiation surface to be atomized and propelled away from the radiation surface, as the atomized spray.   
   
   
       27 : The method of  claim 26  wherein the liquid delivery is accomplished by dripping the liquid onto the solid member. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the liquid delivery is accomplished by flowing the liquid over the solid member. 
   
   
       29 : The method of  claim 26  wherein the liquid delivery is accomplished by positioning an orifice at a distance from the solid member such that a drop of the liquid exiting the orifice contacts the solid member before atomizing. 
   
   
       30 : The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of focusing the atomized spray. 
   
   
       31 : The method of  claim 26  wherein the liquid has a material component and the method has the additional step of heating the atomized spray to a temperature of at least the boiling point of that material component within the liquid. 
   
   
       32 : The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of directing the spray towards a surface to be coated. 
   
   
       33 : The method of  claim 31 , ether comprising the step of collecting the material component. 
   
   
       34 : The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of allowing a gas released from the liquid to condense. 
   
   
       35 : The method of  claim 26 , further comprising the step of controlling the liquid delivery by adjusting the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations. 
   
   
       36 : The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of collecting the gas released from the liquid. 
   
   
       37 : The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of collecting the atomized spray. 
   
   
       38 : A method of producing an atomized spray comprising the steps of:
 a. Generating ultrasonic vibrations having an amplitude within a solid member at or near a resonant frequency of the solid member;   b. Delivering a liquid to be atomized to a side of the solid member; and   c. Allowing the liquid reaching the radiation surface to be atomized and propelled away from the radiation surface, as an atomized spray.   
   
   
       39 : The method of  claim 38 , wherein the liquid delivery is accomplished by dripping the liquid onto the radiation surface. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the liquid delivery is accomplished by flowing the liquid over the radiation surface. 
   
   
       41 : The method of  claim 38 , wherein the liquid delivery is accomplished by, positioning an orifice at a distance from the radiation surface such that a drop of the liquid exiting the orifice contacts the radiation surface before atomizing. 
   
   
       42 : The method of  claim 38 , wherein the liquid delivery is accomplished by passing the liquid through a channel opening within the radiation surface. 
   
   
       43 : The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of focusing the atomized spray. 
   
   
       44 : The method of  claim 38 , wherein the liquid has a material component and the method has the additional step of heating the atomized spray to a temperature of at least the boiling point of the material component within the liquid. 
   
   
       45 : The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of directing the spray towards a surface to be coated. 
   
   
       46 : The method of  claim 44 , further comprising the step of collecting the material component. 
   
   
       47 : The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of allowing a gas released from the liquid to condense. 
   
   
       48 : The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of controlling the liquid delivery by adjusting the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations. 
   
   
       49 : The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of collecting the gas released from the liquid. 
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of collecting the atomized spray.